Magnificent acting by Sheila Allen

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33433, 15 January 1974, Page 4

Magnificent acting by Sheila Allen

Every now and then,| television conies up with something quite memorable. Episodes in “Elizabeth R,” “Six Wives,’’ even "The Power Game” and "Take Three Girls” — and of course others — are still fresh in the memories of many viewers. And on Sunday evening “The Regiment" added another to the list. This has been a wonderful series, and perhaps it is well that it ends next Sunday, before there is time for its standards to be lessened. Week bv week, there have been strong, extremely well-; acted stories, set against convincing backgrounds. On Sunday, it was Sheila Allen who gave “The Regiment" much impact. She was completely steeped in her role, so absorbed that it was difficult to believe that she was not in fact a bitter, resentful yet admirable wife of a Boer farmer. Hers was a moving, thrilling performance, one to stir and upset the least emotional. One of the best features of “The Regiment” is that it has not tried to bend facts too much to provide lilywhite heroes and heroines. So “Dragon’s Teeth” was about the British army’s policy of burning the farms of' those sheltering Boer guer-’ rillas. Sheila Allen’s Boer woman was a demanding role: yet she conveyed perfectly. and without histrionics. the anger and sorrow of a woman whose husband has been killed, and whose Il-year-old son has left to join the Boer commando. It was harrowing, horrifying; and it; was a triumph for Miss Alien and for the production. “The Regiment” was not the only outstanding item oni Sunday evening. There was' an absolutely fascinating 25minute French film without! words — “Golden Fish”.' Here camera art reached a very high peak. There were some brilliant studies of the

people at the fairground, watching and playing the gambling game through which the little boy won his golden fish. There was a delightful passage, when the fish in its bowl and the bird in its cage showed off to each other, to a lively musical background: and the arrival of the predatory cat was high drama. Its evil threat hit home hard. There were superbly telling shots of it, as seen by the fish through its glass, and by the bird from behind its wires. It could hardly have been a more simple tale, nor could it have been more gripping, more delightful, especially in colour. In retrospect. Sunday night was one of the best for the viewer for a very long time. “The Man Who Loves Giants” — the British painter David Shepherd — was a fascinating subject, and “The World About Us” drew a vivid picture of him. The camera shots — and the paintings — of elephants, steam locomotives, huge air- | craft, ships, were splendid and the viewer learned a

great deal about a talented r man, his life and his loves. c Bob Newhart. who appeals ! to this viewer mainly be- ' cause of his dead-pan hu- ' mour. the underplaying of I situations, was in good ! form. It is a change not to] have a comedy in which!

everybody shouts vigorously from start to finish. And “The Black and White Minstrels” went out in a vivid variety show,; marked once again by colourful frocking, supremely good presentation, and live-) ly, cheerful music. The Minstrels may not appeal to a particularly wide age group. But those w'ho like them, love them. —R. T. B